Skibidi Toilet DMCAs Garry's Mod But Legitimacy Remains Unclear

Garry Newman, the creator of Garry's Mod, reportedly received a DMCA takedown notice concerning unauthorized Skibidi Toilet content within the game. The source of the notice is currently unclear, despite initial reports linking it to Invisible Narratives, the studio behind the Skibidi Toilet movie and TV franchises. A Discord profile seemingly belonging to the Skibidi Toilet creator has since denied sending the notice, as reported by Dexerto.

The DMCA Dispute and its Ironic Twist

The DMCA notice demanded the removal of Garry's Mod games featuring Skibidi Toilet characters, citing a lack of licensing. This is particularly ironic, considering the Skibidi Toilet series itself utilizes assets from Garry's Mod, originally ported by Alexey Gerasimov's YouTube channel, DaFuq!?Boom!, into Source Filmmaker. This series, a Gen Alpha meme sensation, spawned merchandise and plans for a Michael Bay-produced film and TV series.

Counterarguments and the Role of Valve

Newman shared the DMCA notice on the s&box Discord server, highlighting its absurdity. Invisible Narratives' claim centers on the copyright of characters like Titan Cameraman, Titan Speakerman, Titan TV Man, and Skibidi Toilet. They pointed to DaFuq!?Boom! as the source of the characters.

However, Garry's Mod's use of Half-Life 2 assets is a key distinction. Valve, the creator of Half-Life 2, has authorized Garry's Mod's existence, publishing it as a standalone game. Therefore, Valve's claim to the original assets would likely supersede any claim from Invisible Narratives.

Following the public disclosure, DaFuq!?Boom! denied involvement on the s&box Discord, expressing confusion and a desire to contact Newman. The notice itself names Invisible Narratives, LLC as the copyright holder, claiming copyright on the characters in 2023.

Previous Copyright Controversies

The situation remains unresolved, but it's not DaFuq!?Boom!'s first brush with copyright issues. Last September, DaFuq!?Boom! issued multiple copyright strikes against GameToons, a similar YouTube channel. Although a settlement was reached, the initial actions raise concerns about the handling of copyright claims.

The legitimacy of the DMCA notice to Garry's Mod remains questionable, given the circumstances and the conflicting statements. The situation highlights the complexities of copyright in the digital age, especially concerning derivative works and the use of assets from established games.